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So I had my first partial obstruction Tuesday afternoon into Wednesday morning, cleared up with rest, IV fluids and patience, but was asked to go to the ER by my doc. I sat in our local ER from 9:45/10pm Tuesday until 4pm Wednesday, this is AFTER they admitted me at 4:30am. I was given zofran so I wouldn't vomit, dilaudid so it didn't hurt and IV fluids. Had a cat scan at 3:30am confirming my original thoughts - BLOCKAGE - was surprised to learn I have a narrowing of one of the anastomosis sites. I was ignored by the nursing staff for over an hour, pressing my call button 3 times, and underwhelmed with their ability to read my chart/history. The hospitalist came into my ER room around 10am on Wednesday and started talking about bringing a general surgeon (no thanks, I have a surgeon already) to speak with me and staying for 48 hrs or more. I know my body, such as it is, I know my pain threshold and when to say when, I appreciate the hundreds of thousands they spent on their medical degree but I know more about how I feel. They couldn't wrap their heads around why I go to the bathroom so much after I explained, 3 times, that I have no colon but do have a jpouch (that I love). At 4:30pm I demanded to see the doctor, be put on a regular diet (I was passing stool by this time) and be released if it was tolerated. I ate my cardboard mashed potatoes, flavorless chicken soup and soggy mac n cheese w gusto, 2 1/2 hours later I was "allowed" to go home. My general GI spoke to me today and congratulated me for standing my ground, not allowing them to push a surgeon on me and knowing my body. I have been dealing with IBD and hospitals for over a decade, I know what I am doing. 

 

     Why is it when we have been through SO much, and know more about our conditions than most general doctors, are we treated like invalid's who don't know any better. I am not going to run home and eat a bag of popcorn and nuts after all the pain and frustration I just dealt with. I know better than to have a huge helping of salad. I am on a diet of essentially baby food until I feel 100% then my GI and I will begin the evaluation process of this narrowing and see what needs to happen from here. Jumping straight to surgery seems awful extreme to me. So again I ask, why is our life experience and knowledge of the way our bodies work, always ignored when faced with the ER? I know my guts, whats left of them, and you need to trust that...

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Jess,

 

I often have to have this conversation with my clients but the patient has to be his/her own best advocate! For some reason people have communication problems or issues with their doctors.  All of my doctors are very deferential to me because they KNOW I know my body better than anyone and it's because I tell it to them like it is in completely unfettered and unedited fashion.

 

There is no reason you can't be as forceful in communicating with your doctor as you are in your post above.  It's up to you.  If you don't advocate for yourself nobody will.

I have never had that experience in the ER (other than the endless waiting to figure out if they are going to admit or observe). To me, suggesting a surgical consult does not mean you will have surgery, but that a surgeon assesses you. That is not necessarily a bad thing, and seems appropriate to me. That is what they do in the ER, get specialist consults. When my son had his first UC flare, the primary MD sent him straight to the ER, and the ER doc immediately got a GI consult, who scheduled a colonoscopy for the next day. A consult was a good thing. Saved us lots of time.

 

But, if you knew in your heart of hearts that you did not have a surgical emergency, then refusing is fine too. They just have their protocol to follow. In all likelihood, the outcome would be the same, but with the surgeon keeping his eye on things. The ER docs always ask me a million questions and do not assume anything because my history is complex.

 

Jan

I've been thru that senecio like a million times. I hate the ER! Especially the local hospital when the last time I went and I told the nurse I have a j pouch and am having a blockage and she said "can I see it?" I picked myself up and ran right out asap. Had my son stop at the market for some grape juice and rode it out at home. 

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